By COLONEL THOMAS C. HRUSKOCY, USAF
They don't ask for raises or take vacations. What's more,
robotic systems are changing the face of DoD industrial activities
as they create new opportunities for depot personnel.
American corporate executives and industrialists are
becoming increasingly concerned about the nation's
sagging productivity growth rate. That rate has declined
markedly in the last 20 years, while productivity has re-
mained high in Western Europe and Japan. Growth in
U.S. productivity, which averaged 3.2 percent annually
between 1948 and 1965, slowed to a 2.4-percent yearly
average from 1966 through 1972, and to a 1.1-percent av-
erage annual rate from 1973 through 1979. Since 1963,
our nation's share of the world market in automobiles and
industrial machinery has decreased by 33 percent; in the
telecommunications equipment and metalworking machin-
ery markets, the decreases have been 40 and 55 percent,
respectively.
becoming increasingly concerned about the nation's
sagging productivity growth rate. That rate has declined
markedly in the last 20 years, while productivity has re-
mained high in Western Europe and Japan. Growth in
U.S. productivity, which averaged 3.2 percent annually
between 1948 and 1965, slowed to a 2.4-percent yearly
average from 1966 through 1972, and to a 1.1-percent av-
erage annual rate from 1973 through 1979. Since 1963,
our nation's share of the world market in automobiles and
industrial machinery has decreased by 33 percent; in the
telecommunications equipment and metalworking machin-
ery markets, the decreases have been 40 and 55 percent,
respectively.
Fully aware of this downward drift, business and De-
fense Department officials are vigorously searching for
ways to reverse the trend. Prominent among their strate-
gies is the increased use of robotics. Robots and automated
systems arrived on the industrial scene 25 years ago; they
began rapidly proliferating in the 1970s, signaling the start
of what many observers believe is a second industrial rev-
olution. While not as sophisticated as R2D2 and C3PO of
"Star Wars" film fame, today's real-world robot systems
can perform a growing number of industrial tasks and offer
important advantages to defense manufacturers.
fense Department officials are vigorously searching for
ways to reverse the trend. Prominent among their strate-
gies is the increased use of robotics. Robots and automated
systems arrived on the industrial scene 25 years ago; they
began rapidly proliferating in the 1970s, signaling the start
of what many observers believe is a second industrial rev-
olution. While not as sophisticated as R2D2 and C3PO of
"Star Wars" film fame, today's real-world robot systems
can perform a growing number of industrial tasks and offer
important advantages to defense manufacturers.
Automotive assembly lines already feature robots that
can weld, paint, stack, and seal, and these lines are
producing higher-quality items and more of them. While
robots may be essentially one-armed and unable to see,
hear, or feel, they can, depending on their function, lift
and move objects weighing as much as 800 pounds or as
can weld, paint, stack, and seal, and these lines are
producing higher-quality items and more of them. While
robots may be essentially one-armed and unable to see,
hear, or feel, they can, depending on their function, lift
and move objects weighing as much as 800 pounds or as
Defense Management Journal
little as one ounce. Furthermore, a robot is untiring, can
operate 24 hours a day, and, unlcss-reprogrammed, never
forgets. It does not ask for pay raises or take lunch breaks,
nor will it go on strike. Because its reliability exceeds 95
percent and its accuracy extends to thousandths of an inch,
a robot can perform myriad tasks, including palletizing,
wrapping, pressing, cutting, molding, and casting. In fact,
some factories today operate exclusively with robots and
automated systems.
operate 24 hours a day, and, unlcss-reprogrammed, never
forgets. It does not ask for pay raises or take lunch breaks,
nor will it go on strike. Because its reliability exceeds 95
percent and its accuracy extends to thousandths of an inch,
a robot can perform myriad tasks, including palletizing,
wrapping, pressing, cutting, molding, and casting. In fact,
some factories today operate exclusively with robots and
automated systems.
According to analysts at Cincinnati Milacron, a leading
American robot manufacturer, the Japanese were already
using nearly 57,000 robots in 1980, about ten times more
than their counterparts in the U.S. However, the firm ex-
pects the number of robots in this country, which now
stands at approximately 15,000, to increase more than six-
fold in the next five years.
American robot manufacturer, the Japanese were already
using nearly 57,000 robots in 1980, about ten times more
than their counterparts in the U.S. However, the firm ex-
pects the number of robots in this country, which now
stands at approximately 15,000, to increase more than six-
fold in the next five years.
Until very recently, the use of robots had largely been
limited to manufacturing; defense applications were few.
But significant technological advances in the last several
years, especially in the area of vision systems, have
greatly expanded the range of possibilities. Equipped with
very small television cameras, robots can now sense loca-
tions and objects and no longer have to rely on less sophis-
ticated microswitching devices. DoD managers recognize
that they can capitalize on these breakthroughs to achieve
tremendous productivity growth; depot operations in par-
ticular offer fertile territory.
limited to manufacturing; defense applications were few.
But significant technological advances in the last several
years, especially in the area of vision systems, have
greatly expanded the range of possibilities. Equipped with
very small television cameras, robots can now sense loca-
tions and objects and no longer have to rely on less sophis-
ticated microswitching devices. DoD managers recognize
that they can capitalize on these breakthroughs to achieve
tremendous productivity growth; depot operations in par-
ticular offer fertile territory.
In order to explore the options available, the Defense
Department held its first Robotics Applications Conference
in October 1983, Although the various services and com-
mands sometimes expressed conflicting views concerning
Department held its first Robotics Applications Conference
in October 1983, Although the various services and com-
mands sometimes expressed conflicting views concerning
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